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Biomass

Much effort has been put into the production of biomass plastics (biomass being a renewable energy source derived from living or recently living organisms) as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel based plastics. Although less harmful to the environment the production of these materials is not without controversy. A balance needs to be found between land used to grow crops for bioplastic production and that used for food production; they may not be compatible with current recycling systems and release methane in landfill; and the material is not always identified clearly on the object. However, these materials are increasingly being used for a wide range of applications and they are derived from some surprising sources.

The Ultra 3 Bloom running shoes by Vivobarefoot (1) are made from BLOOM foam produced from algae. Cambond Ltd developed the Wasbeans Reusable Coffee Cup (2) made from 72% used coffee grounds, 18% bioresin, 9% ground rice husks, and 1% vegetable dye. Not only do the materials make full use of waste and by-products from other industries, but the reusable cup also helps to address the problem of disposable cups ending up in landfill.

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Both bamboo fibres and waste sawdust from factories are combined with bio-resins to produce strong, lightweight materials. These materials can be used to make a wide range of objects such as plant pots (3), kitchen utensils (4), and children’s toys (5 - 8).

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The inclusion of biomass material in composites reduces the reliance on fossil fuels and makes use of available sustainable resources. The Kupilka bowl and cup (9 - 10) are made from Kareline, a natural fibre composite material of 50% pine fibre and 50% polypropylene. The Yamaha recorder (11) is made from a compound of Ecodear polylactic acid and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). It has the same durability and strength of a fully ABS recorder, but has a lower environmental impact. Polylactic acid is derived from corn starch, cassava or sugarcane and is now widely used in composites or as a single material (12).